Day: September 7, 2012

Here They Go Again … Gary Adams Struggles Anew

Brooks D. Simpson20 Comments

Gary Adams of the Southern Heritage Preservation Group (a/k/a the gift that keeps on giving) has decided to go after university professors now … because he doesn’t like what professors say.  Adams shared with his readers the following e-mail to Dr. Gordon Gee, president of (the) Ohio State University, concerning the work of Mark Grimsley, who’s a leading Civil War historian:

From: Gary Adams 
To: President Gee Ohion Uniiversity 
Sent: Friday, September 07, 2012 12:44 PM
Subject: Question

Hello, 
I was curious if I could actually contact President Gee? If so I have a question about the standards personal and professional that Ohio University holds for their academic staff, I refer to the paper produced by one of your staff that unbelievably claims “Sherman’s March” was a myth. I am well aware of neo Confederates and myths, but I find this particular subject untouchable. If I have the wrong office, if you could direct me to the correct person with I could address our concern.
Regards, Gary Adams
“Thieves, Murderers, Trespassers”: 
The Mythology of Sherman’s March by Mark Grimsley

Where to begin?

Let’s start off by observing that I don’t think Adams is going to get very far if he doesn’t know the difference between Ohio University and Ohio State University.  Indeed, he might first learn how to spell “Ohio.”

Adams fails to highlight any specific complaints about the Grimsley article … in fact, it’s not clear that he comprehends Grimsley’s argument.  The article does not argue that Sherman’s march was a myth, but that claims have been made about it which don’t stand up under examination (as you can see if you read it).  So I don’t think he’s going to get very far.  After all, as I’ve already demonstrated, Gary Adams can’t get his own history straight, and that the SHPG allows such a character to act as its spokesperson in contacting institutions of higher education shows just how clueless these folks are.

Oh, by the way, Gary, I’ve shared my post shredding your understanding of the Hampton Roads Conference with Malika Fortier so that she could assess your reliability as a historian.  Yes, that’s right.  You claim that your folks stand by the following:

It is important to our group that we make every effort to ensure to provide every interested group with an accurate and unbiased view of history so that they may use these facts to provide a knowledgeable response to questions posed to them. This is done to avoid any potentially embarrassing situations if the information used proves to be less than truthful or harmful to the position they have undertaken. 

I don’t think so.  And please, would you remind us of your credentials?

Part of my qualifications includes being a fact checker for “Jeopardy”.

You can’t make this stuff up … unlike the stuff Gary Adams made up about the Hampton Roads Conference.

So just remember … when you see “He made the SHPG look foolish” …  the correct response is … “Who is Gary Adams?”